(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates broadly to the collection of recyclables and refuse and more particularly to the provision of sturdy, practical yet attractive containers or receptacles for collecting recyclables and refuse. More particularly still, this invention relates to the provision of a convertible trash container suitable for use in various environments and wherein the top section of said container or receptacle is readily converted from one form or configuration to another.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
During the last two or three decades the public collection of recyclables such as cans of various compositions, glass bottles, plastics, paper products and other nominal waste materials and particularly waste packaging materials which can be recycled has come more and more to the fore. Public bodies such as municipalities, state and federal parks and other public bodies as well as corporate entities such as large companies and the like have undertaken to provide recycling and refuse receivers in public places to encourage the public to both dispose of their refuse and to aid in the collection of recyclables for further processing.
At one time, the common public container for all kinds of waste materials was the ubiquitous heavy wire-mesh container. Such containers were fairly durable due to their heavy construction plus a certain degree of resiliency or bendability conferred by the open mesh wire construction. Such containers, however, have the disadvantage that the contents are exposed to public view and are frequently objectionable to many members of the public. In more recent years, various solid containers such as, in many cases, concrete containers and the like have been substituted for the former wire-mesh containers, although wire-mesh containers are still used, particularly where aesthetics is not a factor. While such concrete and the like containers are fairly durable and in many cases, particularly when they have an exterior surface of small decorative stones or the like, not unattractive, they are in many cases both difficult to empty and also expensive. Generally, solid containers made of thin coated metal or even durable plastic, including heavy plastic materials, are fairly economical and easy to handle, but objectionable to many people simply because they look like xe2x80x9cgarbage cans.xe2x80x9d They are also often subject to vandalism, since they can be easily picked up, knocked over and otherwise mishandled, in which case the metal tends to bend and flake off its coating, after which it becomes subject to corrosion. Plastic containers, in addition, can usually be fairly easily cracked or otherwise damaged when attacked by a determined vandal.
Within the last twenty years, a type of container having a decorative exterior composed originally of wood slats to give it a rustic appearance and more recently of plastic slats which look like wood or similar materials have come into use, particularly in upscale locations such as in shopping malls, public parks, the interior of large buildings and other places where it is desired to have a trash or recycling receptacle in plain sight, but the appearance of an ordinary trash receptacle or garbage container may be unacceptable. The provision of vertical wooden slats or artificial material slats having the appearance of wood over a cylindrical receptacle is particularly desirable because of the rustic appearance provided plus the ease of applying a vertical slat to the exterior of a cylindrical container, so long as the slat is maintained longitudinally aligned with the length of the cylinder. As indicated above, such receptacles have been in use for about two and a half decades and have been extremely popular for about a decade and a half. Such receptacles have been made in various ways including the attachment of the rustic slats on the outside of an ordinary trash can or barrel as well as the provision of a cylindrically shaped receptacle by the use of various internal supporting means such as structural rings and the like to reinforce the other slats so that the combination of the slats and the rings forms their own receptacle. If adequately reinforced internally, such slated exterior ring-reinforcing type containers have proved reasonably strong and durable.
Within the last several years a new type of container or receptacle having a slated exterior has come into use. This type of container or receptacle is provided with a slanted top rather than a flat top, resulting in a particularly attractive design. Furthermore, when such slatted receptacles are arranged around a central unifying post, a particularly attractive and aesthetically pleasing arrangement is provided. Such an arrangement is disclosed in U.S. Design Pat. 331,824 issued Dec. 15, 1992. The initial construction of the new slanted top slatted receptacles was effected by fastening slats with threaded fasteners to the exterior of an ordinary steel barrel with the fastenings passing into the external barrel hoops on such barrel. The internal steel barrel formed a strong construction for the container itself and the slatted exterior with attached differential length slats provided a pleasing appearance to the exterior. When a lid was desired, a flat lid was merely placed in the top supported by internal tabs spaced, usually at four locations, on the interior of the slats. The top could either be supported in a horizontal position or preferably was slanted to conform more or less with the top of the receptacle. Unfortunately, while the described arrangement provided a strong lower section for the receptacle, the upper slanted portion was left essentially unsupported, particularly with respect to the longer or higher slats and there was, furthermore, no satisfactory way to securely attach the top to the receptacle.
At this point, a new oval top ring was developed that allowed the exterior plastic slats to be directly attached either on the outside around the oval support ring or on the inside of such ring. A sturdy lid for the receptacle could then be directly attached to the top ring. Subsequently, a flat-topped version for the slatted plastic receptacle was developed in which the structural rings at the top of the receptacle and the bottom are provided with an inclination which allows the slats of the sides to be biased when pulled tight against the structural rings at the top and bottom to provide such slats with either an inward or outward bow which provides a visually pleasing curve to the side of the receptacle.
One disadvantage of these slatted type receptacles is that all the receptacles have the same general look either with flat tops or with slanted tops. The present inventor has now developed a more versatile top that not only provides a strong, durable and conveniently openable and securable lid but the option of providing a variety of easily replaceable top designs or treatments for various locations or times. These tops are also suppliable in various materials of construction. For example, in indoor less vandal-prone areas the tops may be formed from heavy molded plastic while in more exposed outdoor areas, the changeable top may be formed of damage resistant metal. The tops may furthermore easily be made with decorative treatments such as flared tops and the like around the exterior edges which do not interfere with removal of the contents of the receptacle because the decorative portions are removed with the top when such top is removed from the receptacle to remove the contents of the receptacle.
It is an object of the invention therefore to provide an arrangement at the top of a recycling or refuse container that facilitates the provision of a variety of tops.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a top treatment for a recycling and refuse container that provides for optional removable tops with various decorative treatments.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a strong damage resistant receptacle resistant to the attempts of vandals to damage it as well as their efforts to remove recyclables or rubbish from it and strew such rubbish about.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a receptacle which may be easily and conveniently interchangeable with other similar receptacles with different top treatments.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide convertibility from one type of top to anther so the receptacle can be moved from one location to another conforming it to its new location by merely replacing the top.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a strong damage resistant secure top or cover for a receptacle that may be easily removed and easily replaced either with the same lid or with a different configuration lid or cover.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide flexibility in design for the covers of trash and recycling receptacles by providing a convenient as well as strong and durable top design that can be replaced with other matching top designs.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will become evident from review of the following description in connection with the appended drawings.
This invention is directed to a slatted-type trash and recycling receptacle wherein the plastic slats are secured to metal structural rings, the assembled slats and structural ring providing a strong damage resistant receptacle and in which the top ring is provided with an upwardly extending circular neck preferably inwardly oriented with respect to the slats, such neck being provided internally or externally with detents including threads adapted to be interconnected with matching detents on a top or lid which is adapted thereby to be easily connected to the upper structural ring while easily removed. The lid or cover is adapted to be formed in several embodiments including being supplied with flared outwardly and upwardly extending decorative edges, straight decorative edges and smooth edges forming a domed top. One or more restricted sized orifices are provided in the top or lid for the receipt of trash or recyclables, each orifice being restricted in size to discourage reaching into the orifice to access the contents of the receptacle.